Automatic transmission shifter control tower

Abstract

A shift tower housing for a vehicle transmission that can receive either a push button selector or a lever selector at a comfortable and ergonomic location. The surfaces of both the push button and the lever selectors are at about 15% to the horizontal, which renders surface indicia on the selectors in a comfortable vision range for the operator. The inclined upper surfaces of the selectors also places lever and push buttons at comfortable ergonomic position for the operator. Replacing a single mounting part can make a conversion from a push button selector unit to a push button selector unit. The shift tower also includes mounting mechanism upon which a stand-alone electronic control unit is mounted, that is compatible with either the push button selector or the lever selector control. The vibrations of the shift tower are minimized as a result of mounting it directly to vehicle floor support member.

We claim:  
     
       1. A shift control tower for a transmission that is controlled electronically comprising and a vehicle mounting support comprising: 
       said vehicle mounting support including a cab floor plate that overlies a structural floor support member;  
       said shift control tower including a front side that faces the forward direction of the vehicle and a rear side that faces the reverse direction of the vehicle,  
       said shift control tower further including a mounting base plate and a three-sided vertically extending housing that is permanently secured to said mounting base plate, said three-sided vertically extending housing having a top edge and a top brace member, said top brace member extending from said front side to said rear side of said shift control tower and is secured thereto to close said three-sided vertically extending housing and complete and become part of said top edge to thus define a gear selector receiving opening at the top of said shift control tower;  
       said top edge laying in a plane that is inclined from said rear side to said front side of said shift control tower; and  
       a gear selector member sized to be received in said gear selector opening and secured to said shift control tower such that it is inclined from the rear side to the front side of said shift control tower.  
     
     
       2. A shift control tower as set forth in claim  1  wherein: 
       said three-sided vertically extending housing includes vertically extending flanges along its vertical edges, said vertically extending flanges laying in a plane that extends from the front side to the rear side of said shift control tower.  
     
     
       3. A shift control tower as set forth in claim  1  wherein: 
       said shift control tower is secured to said vehicle mounting support by fasteners that extend through said mounting base plate and said cab floor plate, and wherein some of said fasteners are also secured to said structural floor support member.  
     
     
       4. A shift control tower as set forth in claim  1  wherein: 
       a stand-alone electronic control unit is mounted in said shift control tower;  
       a wire harness within said shift control tower electronically connecting said gear selector member to said stand-alone electronic control unit.  
     
     
       5. A shift control tower as set forth in claim  2  wherein: 
       said three-sided vertically extending housing is adapted to be closed by a vertically extending cover plate that can be releasably secured to said flanges.  
     
     
       6. A shift control tower as set forth in claim  2  wherein: 
       said gear selector member is a lever type gear selector, said lever type gear selector including transversely extending mounting openings, a brace having apertures that are aligned with said transversely extending mounting openings, apertures formed in said three-sided vertically extending housing and in said flanges that are aligned with said transversely extending mounting openings, fasteners extending through the aligned openings and apertures for securing said lever type gear selector to said shift control tower.  
     
     
       7. A shifting apparatus for a vehicle transmission, comprising: 
       a vertically extending shift tower;  
       a lever selector carried by said shift tower, said lever selector having a top face that is inclined from the back to the front of the vehicle, said lever selector including a shift lever including a knob at its free end, said knob extending outwardly from said shift tower and being manually actuatable, such that a vehicle operator seated to the rear of said shift tower has a clear view of said inclined top face and an ergonomic grasp of said knob;  
       a transmission electronic control unit housed in said shift tower;  
       a wiring harness within said shift tower interconnecting said lever selector and said transmission electronic control unit; and  
       said wiring harness including connectors for the transmission and the vehicle engine.  
     
     
       8. A shifting apparatus for a vehicle transmission as set forth in claim  7  wherein: 
       said shift tower includes a mounting base plate that enables the shift tower to be securely mounted to the vehicle frame.  
     
     
       9. A shifting apparatus for a vehicle transmission as set forth in claim  7  wherein: 
       said shift tower includes an easily removable cover plate to enable easy access to the interior of said shift tower.  
     
     
       10. A shifting apparatus for a vehicle transmission as set forth in claim  8  wherein: 
       said shift tower includes an easily removable cover plate to enable easy access to the interior of said shift tower.  
     
     
       11. A shifting apparatus for a vehicle transmission, comprising: 
       a vertically extending shift tower;  
       a push button selector carried by said shift tower, said push button selector having a top face that is inclined from the back to the front of the vehicle, said push button selector including a set of push buttons in said top face, said set of push buttons being manually actuatable, such that a vehicle operator seated to the rear of said shift tower has a clear view of said inclined top face and an ergonomic reach of said push buttons;  
       a transmission electronic control unit housed in said shift tower;  
       a wiring harness within said shift tower interconnecting said push button selector and said transmission electronic control unit; and  
       said wiring harness including connectors for the transmission and the vehicle engine.  
     
     
       12. A shifting apparatus for a vehicle transmission as set forth in claim  11  wherein: 
       said shift tower includes a mounting base plate that enables the shift tower to be securely mounted to the vehicle frame.  
     
     
       13. A shifting apparatus for a vehicle transmission as set forth in claim  11  wherein: 
       said shift tower includes an easily removable cover plate to enable easy access to the interior of said shift tower.  
     
     
       14. A shifting apparatus for a vehicle transmission as set forth in claim  12  wherein: 
       said shift tower includes an easily removable cover plate to enable easy access to the interior of said shift tower.  
     
     
       15. A shifting apparatus for a vehicle transmission including a shift tower, comprising: 
       a vertical tower having an upper edge;  
       said upper edge laying in a plane that is elevated from the rear side to the front side at an angle of about 15% to the horizontal;  
       said upper edge defining a gear selector opening in the top of said shift tower;  
       a gear selector, having an upper surface, received in said gear selector opening such that said upper surface is parallel to the plane of said upper edge;  
       fasteners securing said gear selector to said vertical tower;  
       a electronic control unit mounted within said vertical tower;  
       a wiring harness in said vertical tower interconnecting said gear selector and said electronic control unit, said wiring harness including connectors for connecting the wiring harness to the vehicle transmission and engine.  
     
     
       16. A shifting apparatus for a vehicle transmission as set forth in claim  15  wherein: 
       said gear selector is of the lever type.  
     
     
       17. A shifting apparatus for a vehicle transmission as set forth in claim  15  wherein: 
       said gear selector is of the push button type.